Of Myth and Man
by NCChris
Summary: Sam finds more than he bargains for when he joins the search for Bella after her fateful 18th birthday party. AU non-canon Sam/Bella M for language and lemons.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing and I'm poor, so don't sue me.**

**Musical inspiration provided by "Little Red Riding Hood" Nine Inch Nails' version and what better song exists for The Pack? I'm also taking a few liberties with the timeline and Sam's age.**

Hey There Little Red Riding Hood

I was worried about a few of the boys on the Rez; they were getting close to phasing. Embry Call, Quil Ateara, and Jacob Black would most likely be joining the pack soon. I had Jared and Paul shadowing all three as often as they could without making the boys suspicious; it was difficult because somehow, Jacob had become suspicious of us. Every time our eyes met, I could see the distrust that his held. He was destined to be our Alpha and he'd make a good one someday. I hoped I could gain his trust once he phased for the first time. He was important to our pack and our people.

Of course, Quil was almost as important by bloodlines. They were second cousins, but closer than some brothers. I worried about how they would adapt if one phased and the other didn't. Embry, of course, was a mystery. He was starting to show all the signs of phasing and it was certain that his father had been from one of the bloodlines, but Embry didn't know his father and his mother wouldn't talk about it with anyone. Most likely, Embry was a true brother to one of us, though which one was a mystery. Old Quil was sure one of them would phase soon and be quickly followed by the other two. I was edgy with the anticipation and concerned for their well-being. Until Jacob phased and took over his Alpha birthright, they were mine to protect and guide.

My cell phone began to vibrate and chirp from the kitchen table. I sighed before checking to see who was disturbing me now. Two new text messages were waiting as I scrolled through the menu. One of them was from Leah Clearwater. I felt a small pang of guilt as I read quickly through it. She was just shooting me an update on her college courses, just keeping in touch as we'd promised each other we would. When I first "went wolf", I had been dating Leah pretty seriously. With everything that had happened over the last two years though, our relationship had cooled and we had broken up. I couldn't tell her about the pack and, in truth, I didn't want to. I just didn't feel the same spark with her after my change as I had before. I still cared about her and had managed to salvage a somewhat awkward friendship with her. I absentmindedly wondered if her brother, Seth, would join the pack one day; the Clearwater bloodline was a strong one and if the leeches didn't leave, I had no doubt that he would join us in time.

I sat up straighter on the battered sofa when I saw that the second text was from Billy Black. Scanning the message quickly, I pulled my hair back with the leather thong from my wrist and made my way out the door. Loping to the tree line, I pulled off my clothing and phased. Once in wolf form, I called out to Jared and Paul. They had gotten the same text from Billy that I had and we would not ignore a plea for help from Billy or one of his friends. I didn't have to wait long for them; a mere moment after I called them, I saw Paul's dark silver fur streaking towards me and right behind him the deep brown of Jared's wolf form. They were pelting me with questions through our link as they ran.

_Sam, who's Bella? Did Billy mean Chief Swan's girl? – _Jared

_I'm gonna rip those fuckin' bloodsuckers apart if they've hurt a human! – _Paul

_Yes, Bella is Chief Swan's daughter and I don't really know what's happened yet. She's been seeing that Cullen leech for awhile. The Chief got home and found a note from Bella on the kitchen table saying she went for a walk and then she never came home. I don't have to tell you guys that there're bad things lurking in these woods, so get the lead out…we're going to help search for her. Billy has one of her t-shirts that Charlie gave him for the bloodhounds, but he's going to get some Big Bad Wolves instead - _I replied through our link.

Forty-five minutes later, Jared, Paul, and I were back in human form and huddled over the hood of a Forks patrol car, sipping bad coffee, and being assigned a grid to search. We were only half listening to the plan because we had no intention of searching the way the rest of the townspeople were.

Pausing a moment to look around, I saw that just about everyone in Forks had turned out to search for the Chief's daughter, Bella. I hadn't met her, but I could tell that she was loved in town. It seemed everyone from the high school had turned out as well as their parents. I noticed quite a few familiar faces from the Rez, too. Of course, since Chief Swan had practically grown up with Billy and Harry, they were very influential in La Push.

As I surveyed the group, I felt like I was being watched; I turned and found myself subjected to the suspicious glare of Jacob Black.

He muttered something to Quil that sounded suspiciously like, "What the hell is _**he**_ doing here? He doesn't even _**know**_ Bella."

I saw Quil shrug and drag him the other way. I noticed with a touch of unease that Jacob's hands were shaking badly, though he seemed in control still. I caught Paul's eye and he drifted over to their group and joined in. Someone would have to keep an eye on Jacob. It looked like he would be phasing for the first time very soon, hopefully not tonight, but Paul could handle things until then.

Turning my attention back to the task at hand, I accepted the offered flashlight and then surreptitiously slipped it back into the supply pile when no one was looking. Once I phased, my senses would be heightened to the point that the light would be unnecessary. Besides, have you ever seen a horse-sized black wolf carrying a flashlight? Ridiculous wouldn't even begin to describe it.

I nodded to Jared as he walked over to another group and finally, I headed out with my group. The plan was to split off from our respective groups and phase as soon as we got into the woods good. Then we'd be in three separate areas of the woods to better begin tracking Bella's scent.

I'd phased about fifteen minutes earlier and was snuffling along when I caught the sickly sweet cloying odor of vampire. I whined as the odor assaulted my sensitive nose. Shaking my head to try and get some relief from the overpoweringly awful smell, I caught a different scent; light and floral with a hint of sweet strawberries. I quickly stuck my nose to the rich forest floor again and began to follow the beautiful odor. With each step I was getting deeper into the woods and I was honestly afraid for the Chief's daughter. The cloying vampire scent was still strong, though it was old and stale. Bella's scent was richer and didn't smell as stale. She had to be close.

After another mile, I was snuffling along, nose still to the ground, when I saw a girl huddled against a fallen tree. She was petite and curled up in ball shivering. She was soaked to the bone from the earlier rain. As I lifted my head to look at her, I was suddenly terrified that she was hurt or worse. Forgetting that she would be afraid of my form, I loped over to her prone body and nuzzled her foot gently with my muzzle. She didn't move at all but I thought I heard her sob softly. My heart wrenched painfully at her expression of pain. I nuzzled her side again softly and her hand twitched slightly against my fur, her fingers curling slightly around my thick warm fur. I had a quick debate with myself over what to do.

Should I lay down with her and help warm her up or should I phase and scoop her up and take her back immediately. As I was deliberating, another soft moaning sob came from her lips. I had to get her out of these wet cold woods. Even in my human form, I would be warm enough to protect her from the elements. I nuzzled her one more time and loped a few yards away.

A few moments later, I slipped on a pair jeans and a t-shirt that had been strapped to my leg earlier. I lost no time making my way back over to Bella. This time, I audibly gasped as our eyes met, hers full of pain and slightly unfocused. Even in her current state, she was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. There was a painful tugging sensation in my chest as I crossed the small distance between us and knelt by her side, scooping her up into my arms and cradling her to my chest. I knew in that moment that she was mine as her head snuggled into the crook of my neck. I would have to talk to Billy about this instant connection I felt to her. I wondered if there was more to the legends of imprinting than we had believed.

"Bella? Honey, I'm Sam Uley. I'm a friend of Billy Black from La Push. I'm going to take you back to your daddy now, OK?"

She didn't respond, but snuggled tightly into my chest, shivering violently. The painful tugging in my chest subsided as she did and a soft sigh escaped my lips as I was enveloped with her scent. I was insanely happy that she seemed to be content in my arms. She was light as a feather and I cradled her protectively as her shivering gradually abated. I briefly thanked whatever god had granted me my elevated body temperature. Anything that could comfort and protect this girl was something to be valued.

Eventually, I crossed out of the tree line. Paul and Jared were already standing on the edge of the woods waiting for us. I had taken a moment before phasing back to let them know I had found her and everyone was waiting for us in the small clearing behind the Swan home.

We had barely emerged from the forest before one of the volunteers was wrapping a blanket around us. The Chief hadn't gotten back yet, but he was on his way. Billy Black was rolling towards us now and his eyes were frantic with worry.

"Sam, is she OK? Is she _hurt_?" he asked softly.

"I'm not sure, Billy. She hasn't said anything and she's freezing cold, but I couldn't find any injuries and she's not bleeding," I replied.

Just as I answered his question, a beefy EMT crossed to us. He went to take her from my arms and a growl slipped through my clenched teeth. At his startled look, I covered by coughing and clearing my throat lightly. His posture relaxed and I reluctantly allowed him to remove her from my arms. Billy shot me a strange look before an expression of awed understanding crossed his face.

I was getting ready to ask him what was going on, but then the painful tugging in my chest started up in earnest again as the EMT carried Bella towards her brightly lit home. A grimace flashed across my face before I loped after them. As we reached the door, the Chief came running from the opposite tree line.

"Bella? Oh my God! Is she OK, Jeff?" he shouted, worry etched into his usually impassive face.

The EMT, Jeff, pushed open the door and stepped through with Charlie on his heels. Billy and Jacob Black went in behind them. I hesitated on the doorstep, but finally crossed the threshold when the pain in my chest flared up again. Jared and Paul took up sentry positions at either side of the small porch. Until we knew exactly what had happened, we would protect the humans from attack.

Bella had been carried to the living room sofa. She was deathly pale and her shivering had returned. Charlie was clutching her small hand and kneeling by her head, tears running down his weathered cheeks.

It was taking every single bit of self control I possessed not to run over and push them all out of the way. She was cold and I knew she would be warm if I wrapped her in my arms again. My hands were literally shaking with the effort of maintaining my distance and composure.

Billy's rough commanding voice broke my trance and helped calm my shaking.

"Sam, you have to get control of yourself. You can't phase here. You might hurt someone. You might hurt Bella, Sam."

I snapped my head to the side and met his wise stare. I nodded once curtly and accepted the warm quilt he thrust into my hands. He was giving me an excuse to be near her again. I tried to convey my gratitude in my subtle nod and I think he understood.

I quickly crossed the living room and knelt next to the sofa beside her. Charlie had moved to the kitchen with Jeff, the EMT, and they were whispering together softly. I began to tuck the soft thick quilt around her.

"Bella? It's Sam again. Your daddy's in the kitchen, so I'm going to sit with you a few minutes, OK?"

She remained quiet, but some of the tension began to seep out of her face. I sank to the floor crossing my long legs underneath me and leaning against the side of the couch, holding her tiny hand between my palms and stroking the back of it lightly. The tug in my chest had eased again and I sighed softly in relief.

I'm not sure how long I sat there, just studying her face and stroking her hand, but it wasn't long enough. Soon, it was decided that she didn't seem to be injured, so a trip to the hospital was probably unnecessary. More time passed. Minutes? Hours? I didn't know; all I knew was that I was holding her hand still and breathing in her scent.

A soft warm hand touched my shoulder and I was startled out of my Bella-induced trance. I looked over and saw little Angela Webber standing a step behind me. Angie was my third cousin or something like that. We were kin on my mother's side and weren't close. Outside of family reunions, we didn't interact. She was a sweet girl though and obviously was concerned about Bella.

"Hi, Sammy. Um, Charlie asked me to help get Bella out of her wet clothes and get her in bed. Since she's pretty much out of it, do you think you could carry her upstairs to her room for me?" she asked softly.

I nodded and got to my feet, scooping Bella and the quilt up in my arms. Angela must be a friend of Bella's because she seemed to know her way around the small home. I followed her up the stairs and into a small tidy bedroom to the left of a small bathroom.

I gently laid Bella down on the bed and she whimpered softly when my arms left her. A small smile twitched across my lips at the sound, happy that she missed my touch.

"Um, Sam? Could you wait outside the door?" Angela murmured softly.

I nodded and slipped out the door as Angela closed it softly. I slid down the wall opposite the door and waited. After a few minutes, Angela opened the door again and asked me to get a warm washrag and Bella's brush from the small bathroom on my right.

I returned to Bella's room and handed Angela the items she'd requested and watched as she lovingly washed Bella's face and neck. When she was done, she went to lift Bella's head and shoulders to brush through her tangled mahogany hair. It was awkward for her and I crossed over to the bed and slid behind Bella just enough to let her back rest against my chest. Angela gave me a startled look, but quickly brushed through Bella's hair.

I shifted from behind Bella and laid her gently back on her pillow as Angela made her way back out. I tucked the covers securely around her. She sighed softly, squeezing my heart painfully, and rolled to her side and snuggled more fully under the covers. I stroked back a lock of her hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear, and whispered,

"That's right, Bella. Sleep now, honey. You're safe."

As I turned to leave, Jared was standing in the doorway. He was watching me with a peculiar grin on his face. I raised an eyebrow at him in question, but he shook his head.

"Billy wants to talk to you, Sam. He's outside on the porch."

I glanced back over my shoulder at Bella's sleeping form, torn between speaking to Billy, an elder in our tribe, and staying with her. Jared grinned again.

"Sam, I'll sit over there in her rocking chair while she sleeps. If she wakes up or needs you, I'll come get you, OK?"

"Thanks, Jared. I'm not sure why I feel this way, but I don't want her to be alone and scared."

He nodded and settled himself in the old rocking chair in the corner of Bella's room. I turned and felt the tugging start again as I left the room and headed downstairs to see what Billy wanted to talk to me about.

I was sitting on the old porch swing at Bella's house still reeling from my discussion with Billy. I'm not sure why I was surprised that imprinting existed. Hell, we did, vampires did…why in the world would I still doubt that the old stories of my people were true? I can't say I was actually all that happy about the idea. So much of my free will had been taken from me the first time I phased; imprinting sounded like just one more way my life was being limited by this legacy I had been born into. As unhappy about the circumstances as I was though, I couldn't deny the pull I felt towards the petite brunette resting inside. I leaned back and closed my eyes. It had been a long day and it was late at night now; I really needed some sleep. Just as I began to doze off, Jared appeared from the inside of the house.

"Sam? Sorry to disturb you…"

"Is she OK? What's up, Jared?" I broke in, cutting him off.

"She's fine, Sam. If you'd hold on a second, I could tell you. "

I nodded and tried to restrain myself from interrupting again. Jared continued,

"She's sleeping still and will be for awhile they said, so Chief Swan kicked me out. If you want to see her before we have to go, you better hurry up. It looked like the Chief was dead on his feet."

"Thanks, Jared. I'll be back in a few minutes. You and Paul want a ride home?"

"Yeah, man, I am wiped. If we leave soon, I'll have time to text Kim before I go to bed."

"Jared, did you imprint on Kim?"

"Sam, I wanted to tell you. I really did, but the council said I couldn't. They weren't totally sure I had imprinted until Old Quil talked to one of the elders at the Makah rez. Seems it's supposed to be pretty rare, but now that you've imprinted, too, maybe not. Don't fight it too much…it hurts a lot more if you do."

I absentmindedly rubbed the sore spot over my heart; the tugging was almost painful now. I gave Jared a quick nod of thanks and watched as he sat down on the swing and grabbed his phone to begin texting Kim. Jared was lucky; he imprinted on a girl we'd all known since we were kids…Bella hadn't ever even laid eyes on me before today and I had no doubt that the Chief wouldn't be absolutely thrilled that a 21 year old man was sniffing around his 18 year old baby girl. I would have to take this slow and easy for everyone concerned.

I knocked lightly on the door and was relieved when the Chief opened it quickly.

"Hi Chief. Would you mind if I saw Bella for a minute before I head back to the rez?"

"Naw, Sam. Thanks for everything. If you hadn't found her…" he trailed off, both of us understanding that it would not have been good for her to have been in the woods longer.

I shook his outstretched hand and made my way up the stairs and back to her room. The door was ajar and her room was darkened with only a small desk lamp illuminating it.

Bella was lying curled on her side facing the doorway and me. I pushed the door open and winced as it creaked on its hinges. Bella was sleeping deeply though and it didn't seem to bother her. I stepped over to her and tucked the covers a little tighter around her where she had kicked them off; her leg thrown over top of the tangled blankets. She sighed softly in her sleep.

I knelt down beside her bed until our faces were more or less level to each other.

"Bella, it's Sam Uley again. I know you're probably tired of me bothering you now, but I just wanted to say goodbye and I hope you'll feel better tomorrow."

My lips burned with a desire to kiss her, but I wouldn't do it. This girl didn't know me and outside of a mystical wolfy bond, I didn't know her. When I finally did kiss her, it would be because she wanted it as much as I did. Turning to leave, I noticed that the water glass next to her bed was empty, so I grabbed it and carried it to the small bathroom outside in the hallway and filled it from the tap, before depositing it on her nightstand again. She would be thirsty when she woke up and it was the least I could do to take care of her.

Pulling the door partially closed again, I made my way slowly back downstairs and bid the Chief goodnight. Jared and Paul were waiting for me in my truck. The tugging in my chest was making me vaguely nauseous now and Jared took one look at my face before jumping into the driver's seat. I wearily crawled in the back seat and leaned my face against the cool glass.

So far, I was not impressed with this whole imprinting thing. Sure, I got to be bonded to the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on, but this gut-wrenching tugging was the pits. I hoped I would see Bella Swan again soon. My poor body couldn't take too many days of this torture!

When we pulled up in my driveway, Jared's Kim was sitting on my front porch. Her face lit up and she bounded down the steps as soon as the truck cut off. I let them have the guest room and tossed a blanket and spare pillow to Paul for the couch, before dragging myself down the hallway to my own welcoming bed. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow, still immersed in the perfect scent of Bella Swan.


	2. Chapter 2

_**AN: Bear with my POV changes here – I promise not to make a habit out of it.**_

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**_Bella POV_**

It had been two months since he and his whole family left me. I spent the first week hiding under my covers. I neither ate nor really slept. Every time I closed my eyes all I could see was him. _Fuck him! _

I thought about the things he'd said to me that afternoon…

"_You're not good for me Bella."_

"_I'm tired of pretending to be something I'm not."_

"_My world is not for you."_

And most hurtful of all,

"_Bella, I don't want you to come with me."_

Well, I was going to show his narcissistic ass a thing or two. He didn't want me? I wasn't good enough for him? Hell no! That was a motherfucking lie! He wasn't good enough for me and I wasn't going to waste another tear on him or his turncoat family. Let him pursue his goddamned _distractions_. Bella Swan would be his pet no longer!

So, I got angry. I told anyone and everyone what a bastard Edward Anthony Masen Cullen was. Then, I got drunk and stayed that way until Charlie noticed and threatened to send me to Florida on the next flight out of SeaTac.

Now, here I was; sober, tired of being tired and unable to work up a good rage anymore. With my anger and booze gone, I was bored. My best friends had disappeared without so much as a 'kiss my ass'. My human friends from school couldn't really understand what I was going through and the only one I could actually stomach being around was Angela anyway.

It was the end of another boring week and I was sitting at the lunch table pretending to eat, when Angela nudged my shoulder. When I looked up at her, she gave me a tentative grin and leaned over so we could keep our conversation private.

"Bella, do you have plans this weekend?"

"No, Ang. Nothing much is going on. Why?"

"Well, a group of us are going to camp at First Beach. It's not supposed to be rainy. Come with us."

"I don't know, Ang…" I groaned, visions of Lauren Mallory and Mike Newton flitting around in my brain.

"Oh, Bella! Come on…I promise it'll be fun. We'll go to the grocery store after school. Mike's going to front all the camping equipment. Ben's bringing his guitar. We haven't hung out in forever. Besides, what else do you have to do?"

I thought for a moment, pondering my options. I could go with Angela and the rest of the gang. I'd end up fending off Mike's passes all weekend, eating S'mores and charred bonfire hotdogs, trying to get the sand out of my sleeping bag, or I could stay home and stare at the same four walls that I had been staring at for the last two months. That was it; I made my decision.

"OK, Ang. I'll go. Could be fun."

I did my best to put some enthusiasm into my voice and Angela threw her arm around my shoulders and squeezed.

"Great! We're going to have so much fun. Did you drive today?"

I shook my head no. After my binge drinking episode, Charlie had been somewhat overprotective and had been driving me to school.

"OK then, Bella. Meet me and Ben at the car after school and we'll go by your dad's office and let him know what's up and then we'll stock the cooler and get our groceries."

I nodded and gathered my things as the bell rang. All I had to do was get through my dreaded gym class and I was free.

_**Sam POV**_

The last two months had been hell. I wasn't sleeping and I could barely eat. I'm a wolf for christsake and I couldn't eat! It was finally Friday and I was looking forward to lying as close to comatose as possible in my bedroom all weekend. My entire body ached. I was absolutely miserable. This imprinting thing sucked! I didn't want some hoodoo mystic bond affecting me this way, but I couldn't deny that it was. Jared hadn't been kidding when he said fighting the imprint was painful. I was quickly reaching the point when I'd have no choice but to make some sort of advance toward Bella.

I had just thrown my weary, aching body down onto the sofa and popped the cap off a bottle of Bud when my cell started ringing. I groaned and reached across to the coffee table.

"Hello?"

"Sammy? It's Angie."

"Hi, Angie. Everything OK?" I replied, a little alarmed. Angie was a sweet kid, but to be honest, I wasn't sure she'd ever called me before, distant kin or not.

"Yeah, fine. A group of us are coming to camp on First Beach this weekend. Why don't you bring some of the guys and we'll do a bonfire tonight."

"Uh, Ang, I'm kinda beat…"

I really just wanted to sit on the sofa and drink beer in my underwear, maybe wallow in a little bit of self-pity before climbing in my bed to sleep away a few more empty hours. You know, guy-pining-over-a-girl shit.

"Sammy, come on…it'll be fun. Besides, Bella will be there."

Bella? I could feel the pull in my chest contracting just a little more at the thought of her being so close and not seeing her. God, I was so tired of fighting this craziness!

"Sam? Did you drop the phone?"

I realized I hadn't responded to Angela's pleading and hastily replied, "Sorry, Angie. Um, yeah. Maybe I could get a few of the guys together. See you later, OK?"

"OK, Sammy. See you later."

_**Angela POV**_

It had taken several weeks of devious planning on my part to get them together again. Really, they were going to owe me big time, no one likes sand enough to camp in it for a whole weekend, especially in November!

I knew that Sam had a thing for Bella…I didn't understand it, but I knew it. I mean, Bella is gorgeous, sweet, smart and a great friend, but Sam had never even met her before that night in the woods…it was actually a little bit weird how tender and devoted he had been.

It was strange how drawn to him Bella was, too. As far as I knew, she'd never even met Sam before that night. I couldn't believe she even remembered him; she'd been completely out of it most of the time. I guess love at first sight must really exist and to be honest, Bella deserved a guy that was loyal and devoted to her after that creep, Edward, up and disappeared along with his whole family!

I might not be close to Sammy, but he was a relative and he was a good guy. He'd treat her right or he'd answer to me and Ben.

_**Sam POV**_

Man, what a great night! The night sky was uncharacteristically clear and the stars were twinkling brightly. It made me want to go wolf just so I could feel the breeze ruffle my fur, but tonight, I had bigger plans.

I could see the glow from a bonfire as I rounded the curve, walked down the weather beaten old wood steps, and down to the cool sand of First Beach. As I got closer, I saw that Jared, Kim, and Paul were already there chatting with Angie and her friends. It looked like they were charring hotdogs in the flames and my stomach growled at the thought. _Damn, I was hungry!_

Angie saw me and jumped off the piece of driftwood she'd been sitting on and gave me a quick hug before tugging me over to the group. I nodded to the pack as she introduced me to her friends.

There was a skinny guy with emo black hair holding a guitar that she introduced as her boyfriend, Ben Cheney, another guy with spiky blond hair and blue eyes, Mike, a few girls whose names I didn't catch. I noticed Paul shoot a quick wink at a pretty little strawberry blond, but couldn't really even give a damn, because at that moment, my angel stepped from the shadows and with a warm smile toward me, sat down on a larger piece of driftwood at the edge of the fire.

Aw shit! She smiled at me! I could feel the pull towards her and just let it be. I was tired of aching and if I could be near her, it would stop. I wasn't strong enough to stay away from her anymore.

As those thoughts ran through my head, my feet were moving toward her and I looked down, a little surprised, into her chocolate brown eyes.

"Hello, Sam," she said softly and blushed.

I wanted to see if that blush went all the way down. She was so gorgeous in the pale moonlight; my dick twitched in my pants at her scent and visage.

"Bella, it's very nice to see you again," I replied, taking the spot next to her on the driftwood bench.

We stared into the fire, neither of us speaking, but amazingly enough it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. After a few minutes passed, Jared tossed a pack of hot dogs at me.

"Hey Sam, ya gonna feed her or just stare at the fire all night?" he yelled from his perch, Kim giggling in his lap.

I flipped him off good-naturedly and turned towards Bella.

"Bella, are you hungry? That idiot over there, Jared, just reminded me."

"Sure, sure. Hang on, Sam. I'll get the sticks. You cook though, OK? I'd probably catch myself on fire or something…I'm chronically clumsy," she replied with a grin.

We spent the next little bit discussing the appropriate level of doneness for bonfire hotdogs. She maintained that any blackness was burnt, while I insisted a slightly blackened skin was perfect.

We finally playfully agreed to give each other's method a chance, so I ate one of her barely warmed dogs and she put on a grieved expression as she nibbled one of my more charred examples. As she finished, she favored me with a smile and I melted inside, pleased that she was having fun.

"OK, Sam. I think you win on the hotdogs. That didn't look tasty at all but it was really good. I won't doubt you again," she said with mock seriousness.

I leaned close to her and whispered in her ear, my lips just brushing her delicate skin,

"Mmmm, and Bella, what is my prize for winning?"

She shuddered as my breath tickled her skin, as she turned her head just enough for my lips to brush the soft skin of her cheek. Pulling her to her feet, I stood.

"Walk by the water with me, Bella,"

She nodded and we began to stroll away from the crowded fire and toward the breaking waves. It was a beautiful moonlit night and I just wanted to spend some time with her. She shivered delicately and I realized it was probably cold to her. I went to shrug out of my jacket, but she stopped me with her hand on my forearm.

"Sam, you'll freeze…I'm OK," she said, stubbornly trying to hide her shivering lips from me.

"Bella, I'll be fine. I'm…hot natured. You'll catch cold out here." I replied, draping my jacket around her tiny shoulders.

She snuggled into the jacket and I caught her surreptitiously sniffing at the collar. I hoped that meant she liked how I smelled, because I sure as hell liked how she smelled! A moment later she did it again and smiled a sexy little half smile when she thought I wasn't looking.

Things were going along quite well until we began to wander towards where the beach met the forest. As we came within smelling range, I was assaulted by the sharp, cloying scent of vampire and this was no old scent. Suddenly alert, I edged Bella behind me as I scented the air more carefully. Bella looked surprised by my actions but stayed behind my shoulder.

"Bella, whatever happens next, I need you to trust me. Can you do that, honey?" I asked, the Alpha timbre already coloring my voice.

"Sam, I do trust you. I'm not sure why, since I barely know you, but I'll do what you ask," she replied, her voice wavering just a touch, but still sure.

Just as she finished speaking, a tall vampire with flaming red hair in battered clothing stepped from the edge of the tree line.

"Hello, Bella. It's been too long, dear," she hissed, taking a step towards us.

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**_AN: Hey y'all, I am cross posting this on a lovely site called Tricky Raven dot ning dot com that has all manner of things wolf pack. If you're looking for good Pack, you'll find it there! Go join and find not only this story but many many more. And, should this story become part of the great FFn purge of M rated fics (as we go along), it will continue to post there. Ok, make sure to give me some thoughts in the reviews and thanks for all the love so far!_**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing and I'm poor, so don't sue me.**

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**Sam POV**

A warning growl rolled from my lips at her advancement and she stopped a moment, meeting my eyes.

"Don't take another step, Leech! This is Quileute land and you're not welcome here," I growled, my hands beginning to shake fiercely.

I had to get Bella away from us both or she could get hurt, if I had to phase quickly.

"Bella, I need you to back away from me about 20 paces. Can you do that, honey?" I whispered.

"Sam, don't. I..I'm not sure what's going on here, but you obviously know what she is. I can't let you get hurt because of me."

"Bella, trust me. She's not going to hurt either of us. I promise I'll explain later, but right now, I need you to do as I say!"

I felt, rather than heard, her back away from me. She turned after a couple steps and ran. That's when all hell broke loose.

The red-headed leech took that opportunity to run toward Bella and me. I met her halfway, phasing in midair and colliding with the bitch before she could get near Bella. The leech was strong; I was evenly matched against her. I managed to get a howl out and I knew in a few moments Paul and Jared would come tearing down the beach to help me. Meanwhile, the filthy bloodsucker landed a hard kick to my ribs and I felt them break, sending me to the sand in a pile of fur, but I was back on my feet a moment later, hackles raised and snapping at her. She lunged toward me, teeth bared and, as I swiped at her with one of my enormous and deadly paws, she sunk her teeth into my shoulder. The pain was instant and severe. The last thing I saw was the leech turning on her heel and running for the forest as Paul and Jared arrived, then everything went black and I felt nothing but searing pain as I collapsed onto the cold hard sand.

**BPOV**

I was terrified as Sam told me to back away from him. Surely he wasn't going to fight her? Shaking and afraid for this man whom I really just wanted to curl up with and kiss until we both begged for mercy, I did as he asked. I turned once to see what was happening and saw something I would never forget.

Victoria took a step toward Sam and me and, before her foot had even settled in the sand, Sam leaped forward and exploded into a huge black wolf. I stumbled backwards at the sight and landed on my ass in the hard-packed sand. My overwhelmed, stuttering brain was trying to catch up and _finally_ I remembered the rest of Jacob Black's story from another bonfire months ago. It seemed almost like another lifetime as I hastily put two-and-two together. If the Cullens were real, and I knew they were, then I think I just saw my first Quileute Spirit Wolf!

As I watched from a more or less safe distance, since Sam never let Victoria get between his enormous black bulk and me, I tried to understand why she would be here. I wasn't worth all of this conflict. I was just Bella. Edward was gone. I had been nothing to him and his family, apparently. I had foolishly thought that I wouldn't be a part of that world anymore now that they had abandoned me without a second thought. I hadn't _wanted_ to be a part of the world of vampires any longer!

I struggled to remember more about the story that Jacob had told me. Was there something about a Third Wife? I knew she'd done something to end the fighting and had saved the rest of her tribe. I could do that. I could sacrifice myself to save them all.

As I was having that very thought, Victoria landed a vicious kick to Sam's left side. I bit back a scream. If I distracted Sam, she'd destroy him. He collapsed like a ton of bricks, but he jumped up a moment later. I heaved a sigh of relief; he was very strong. Growling and snapping with his powerful jaws, he never let her get around him and he kept me at his back at all times. I wondered again what it could be about me that inspired these mythical creatures to defend me with their lives. I remembered what Jasper had told me all those months ago, that I was worth it, but I couldn't agree with him. I wasn't worth this; I couldn't stand to be the cause of their deaths any more than I could allow the Quileute wolves to die for me.

I could tell that her vicious kick had slowed him down and I could see him heaving for breath. I worried that his ribs had been broken. Victoria could see it, too, and she took full advantage of his difficulties. I screamed, unable to hold it back, as she got past his defenses and sank her teeth into his shoulder on his weakened left side. She gloated as he slumped to the sand in obvious agony and I could feel her burgundy eyes burning into mine as she turned her full attention to me, Sam's threat neutralized for the moment.

"This isn't over, Bella. You'll pay for what they did to my James," she snarled.

She quickly turned on her heel and raced into the forest as two more giant wolves, one a dark sleek silver and the other a rich chocolate brown, arrived. They streaked past me and Sam's prone body into the forest. They were pursuing her, obviously anxious to avenge Sam and also to remove the threat to the Reservation. I could hear them howling back and forth as they searched for her. They wouldn't find her…she had a gift for evasion. I knew I would have to come clean about everything to the wolves. Nausea rolled through me at the thought of what they would think of me after that, of what Sam would think of me, but I would have to tell them. It would need to wait; Sam needed to come first right now.

My whole body was shaking from the adrenaline rushing through my veins as I ran toward the massive black wolf, Sam, lying at the edge of the surf. The tide was coming in and the water was lapping at his snout. It worried me even more when he made no instinctive move to get his muzzle out of the salty water. He would drown!

As I reached his side, I dropped down and struggled to cradle his head in my lap, getting his nose and mouth up out of the muck and foamy water. I could barely even lift it, he was so huge and solid, but the adrenaline still coursing through my veins was the boost I needed. It never occurred to me to fear him. He had just been bitten by a vampire defending me. Obviously, I was the only threat here. The danger magnet had finally claimed her first victim. I remembered from Jacob's story that this would surely kill him.

Salty tears dripped from my cheeks and spotted the thick soft fur of his face. I stroked that fur softly and murmured my thanks to him. I thanked him for saving me not just today, but that day in the woods a few weeks ago. He chuffed softly and twitched in pain. I hoped the sound of my voice and soft hands were easing his pain. If all I could do was make him more comfortable, then I would do everything I could to do so.

I'm not sure how long I sat there, but eventually, the sleek silver wolf padded back up to my side slowly and nuzzled my shoulder. I turned to look at him. His eyes were intelligent and full of sadness. They were human eyes and I knew that this was either Jared or Paul. One of the men was watching Sam die in my arms.

"I know you're either Jared or Paul. I'm so sorry for what I've caused. Why didn't he just let her have me? I'm not important…just a stupid human girl who messed with a world she shouldn't have!" I wailed, fresh tears spilling down my cheeks.

A very warm hand fell lightly on my shoulder from the other side and I startled, glancing over with my heart pounding to see Jared kneeling next to me.

"Easy, Bella," he soothed, a strange look on his face. "How do you know so much about us? No, nevermind. It doesn't matter. Sam is strong, our Alpha, and one bite may not be fatal for him. Paul and I will carry him back to his house. We heal quickly, but a vampire bite is different. Come with us. He needs you to stay with him."

Jared turned and spoke softly in Sam's ear. I couldn't hear exactly what he said, but after a moment or two, Sam chuffed again softly. He seemed so weak! Paul loped behind a piece of driftwood, returning a moment later in his human form. To my embarrassment, he was completely naked. I averted my eyes to Sam's face again, never ceasing in my caresses. When I felt the hand on my shoulder again, I looked over and Jared and Paul, fully clothed now, were looking at me.

This time, Paul kneeled next to Sam and whispered into his ear. There was no response from Sam, who appeared to be completely unconscious now.

Jared spoke softly, sorrow and concern in his expressive black eyes.

"Bella, I need you to step away from him. Paul and I have to try to get him to phase back so we can help him. He wouldn't want you to be hurt when he phased."

I nodded and reluctantly stood, but not before placing a small kiss on his muzzle. If Sam died from his injuries, he wouldn't go without feeling my gratitude.

"Thank you, Sam."

I wandered over to the same driftwood that Paul had hidden behind moments ago and sank down onto it. I watched as Paul and Jared each knelt beside Sam's massive head and whispered in his ears. I saw Jared wipe his eyes when he finished speaking to Sam and I could see that the two were very close. I wondered what the young men's story was. I could only hope that Sam would recover and maybe share it with me one day.

My chest ached and burned and my fingers clenched the driftwood. I wanted Sam in my arms. The pull I felt toward him was stronger than anything I had ever felt before. In that moment, I knew that if Sam died, a piece of me would die with him. Somehow, I had gone from being a vampire's girlfriend, abandoned as if she were nothing, to being inexplicably connected to a wolf. I shook my head slightly at how strange my life was.

I was dimly aware that someone sat down next to me and wrapped their arms around me. I figured it was Kim, Jared's girlfriend, because of her soft vanilla scented perfume. I sobbed on her shoulder and was comforted by her answering tears.

I don't know how long we sat there together, but during that time I gained a sister. We were wolf girls in that moment and part of the hole left by Alice's departure began to heal.

Eventually, Sam's body began to twitch and shake and finally, he imploded back into his human form. I stood to go to him, but Kim held me back.

"Wait a moment, Bella. Let them look over his wounds first. I know it's hard, but wait just a moment more, sweetie."

After a few moments, Jared looked up and locked eyes with Kim; she released me with a slight nod. If I'd been in my right mind, I'd have thought it a bit odd, but instead, I just ran over to Sam. Later I would wonder how I managed to do it without stumbling or feeling afraid or hesitant, but nothing mattered at that moment except doing what I could to help Sam.

As I reached his side, he was pale beneath his normally deep almost cinnamon skin tone and his breathing was labored and shallow. I gently smoothed the sweat dampened hair from his face and whispered softly to him.

"Sam, honey, if you can hear me, it's Bella. You have to fight, Sam. You're strong! I know it hurts. I was bitten once."

As I whispered this, there was a low growl from Paul and Jared. I looked up at them, surprised they'd heard my low murmur, and held out my wrist, trying not to recoil nervously as Jared took it between his massive hands. He stroked it lightly, shuddering at the temperature difference. He and Paul locked eyes over it and I was quick to blurt out what happened before they jumped to conclusions. I might be rightfully disgruntled with Edward and his family, but I didn't want to start a war.

"It was the red-headed vampire's mate, James. The Cullens saved me from him. They killed him and now she's back for me."

"Why didn't you turn?" Paul asked, confusion evident in his tone.

"Edward Cullen sucked the venom out. He kept me from changing. I'll tell you the whole story later, okay? We need to take care of Sam right now," I replied, and they nodded in agreement.

Paul loped off towards the street and I wondered idly, while still stroking Sam's tangled damp hair, what story they had thought up for Angela and the gang. It seemed my days of keeping secrets hadn't ended.

Just as Paul was pulling up my old rust bucket truck, Sam shuddered and his whole body convulsed in my arms. He was incredibly strong and his flailing arm caught my cheekbone and flung me backwards. Jared rushed to Sam's side to hold him in place until the seizure passed as Kim rushed to my side. I waved her off. It was nothing, just a bruise, I'd certainly had worse and by those that intended to hurt me. I was much more concerned for Sam.

Jared and Paul quickly loaded Sam into the bed of the truck and Kim jumped in the driver's seat. I sat next to her as she hauled ass back to Sam's house. When we arrived, there were already several cars in the driveway. I recognized Billy's truck and Harry's, too. I wondered how many of the Quileutes knew about the boys. Jared and Paul quickly, and as gently as possible, carried Sam's now limp body into the house. Sue Clearwater met them at the door and led them back to Sam's bedroom. There were fresh white sheets on the bed and a pitcher of water and first aid kit on the table. Sue was a nurse and she looked steady even though her eyes betrayed her sorrow.

"Jared, Paul, lay him on the bed. Everyone else out!" she declared in a firm voice.

I began to follow Kim and a few others out of the room.

"Not you, Bella. I need you here. Jared, Paul, go and heat water on the stove to boiling and bring it back here. Bella come over here and hold his hand. I need you to talk to him, try to get him to respond," she ordered in her no-nonsense voice.

I was confused about why she wanted me here. I had no medical training. Surely Sam was closer to someone else here. We barely knew each other!

"He hasn't told you yet, has he?" Kim whispered. She had pulled clean clothing for Sam from the dresser and pressed it into my hands.

Mutely, I shook my head. Told me what? I would have asked, but she hugged me tightly for a moment and continued to speak.

"It's not my place to say, Bella. Let me see what Jared thinks we should do. Jared's the Alpha of the pack in Sam's absence."

I crossed to the bed, glancing at Sue for a moment as she laid out supplies. When I reached the bed, I laid the clothing next to me and pulled Sam's limp hand into my own. I rubbed soothing circles across his knuckles as I tried to think of what to say to the man that lay dying in front of me. More than anything I wished for a miracle. I didn't want him to die.

"Bella, he's strong and he was only bitten once. The venom is poisonous to them, but it's not always a death sentence. Talk to him, honey, let him hear your voice. I promise you'll understand soon," Sue murmured softly, patting my hair in a motherly gesture.

I remembered that Sue had a daughter a little bit older than I, Leah, and a son a few years younger, Seth. I had spent many summers with the Clearwater family and Black family as a small child. Harry, Billy, and Dad were nearly inseparable fishing buddies.

Just then, Jared arrived with a bowl of hot water and clean rags. Sue and I worked in tandem, with Jared helping us. I briefly wondered where Paul was, but shrugged it off. He was likely standing guard outside in case Victoria decided to strike while we were down.

Sam was too heavy for us to maneuver alone, but Jared could do it for us. After we stripped off the filthy running shorts that Paul had pulled onto him on the beach, Sue went back over to continue preparing her supplies. Jared handed me a soft warm rag and I gently wiped blood and dirt from Sam's body. He was covered in healing scratches and dried blood. For once, I was not embarrassed. I didn't blush as I cleansed his body. This was simply what Sam needed from me right now and there was no shame in it. I would remember the masculine perfection of his body later; right now my focus was on caring for him.

Sue came over a few moments later with suture and a needle. Victoria's bite was not healing as the other scratches and cuts were. The venom obviously deterred their ability to heal. It was still bleeding profusely and was deep. I could see the glint of bone through the ragged teeth marks in his muscled shoulder. I blanched as she made the first stitch and wavered on my feet at the second, trying to be strong for Sam. Jared noticed my shakiness and pulled me away from the bedside. He sat me down in a worn armchair and knelt in front of me.

"Bella, ideally it would be Sam telling you this, but you need to know and he can't do it right now, so bear with me, okay?" he gave me a self-conscious half smile and took a deep breath.

"When you heard the old stories from Jake, did he tell you about imprinting?"

I thought for a moment, Jake had told me about a lot of things, but I couldn't remember anything about imprinting. I shook my head and Jared took a deep breath before beginning.

"You know that we're wolves; protectors of our people. Imprinting is the way that a wolf finds their mate, their perfect match. It's elemental, Bella. When we see our imprint, it's like the whole world changes course and suddenly our entire focus becomes them. We're bound to them from that moment forward. We can be anything they need: a friend, a sibling, a lover; but make no mistake about it, primarily it is the way a wolf finds its mate. We mate for life and are completely devoted to them. Any one of us would gladly lay down our life for our imprint."

He looked into my eyes as he said this last part, as if willing me to see some missing piece of the puzzle.

"Kim is yours, isn't she, Jared?"

As he nodded, I put it together and whispered, "And I'm Sam's."

Jared nodded again, his eyes soft as he took in my stunned expression. He pulled me into a brotherly hug. I tried hard not to flinch away from it, but I could tell by his guarded expression that he'd noticed my stiff body as he patted my shoulder awkwardly instead.

"Bella, you're the only one he'll ever love. It's a lot to take in. Do you want to talk to Kim about it? She'll probably understand better than I can. She was the first imprint in the Pack. She…" he paused, looking a little embarrassed, "well, let's just say we had to figure things out on our own. She's glad you're part of the Pack now. Me and Paul are, too."

I nodded and he slipped out of the room. As the door shut softly behind him, Sue straightened up and pulled the sheet gently over Sam's bandaged body. She had cleaned and stitched a few cuts, including the bite from Victoria, and had taped his ribs. He still looked very pale and his breathing was so shallow I almost couldn't see it.

I crossed to the bed and carefully perched next to him, cradling his head in my lap so I could run my fingers gently through his hair. I hadn't been able to easily touch anyone since my disastrous birthday. I suppose Sam, as my imprint, must be the exception to that. It felt good to enjoy physical contact again.

"Sam, Jared told me some things and I think I understand better what's between us now, but you have to wake up and talk to me about this, Sam. I need to hear what you're feeling. They need you to come back. _I_ need you to come back."

He would occasionally sigh or moan in his sleep, but he never responded. His body was wracked with painful spasms and his breathing was ragged and shallow, though whether from the broken ribs or the poison he was fighting, no one really knew. I could do nothing but try to ease his pain with my touch and voice.

Minutes turned to hours and I wondered if Charlie knew where I was. I felt sure that the weekend bonfire had been scrapped, but I didn't know what our cover story was. As I was thinking about that, Billy Black wheeled himself into the room, handing me an ice pack for the cheek I'd forgotten was now puffy and swollen. Using my free hand, I hissed softly as I applied the ice.

"Did Sue look at your cheek?" I shook my head and he nodded, apparently wanting to be sure that I hadn't been overlooked in the bustle of getting Sam tended to. "Bells, I just wanted to let you know that Charlie thinks you're at Angela's house for the rest of the weekend. She doesn't know about the Pack, but she's one of Sam's cousins, so she'll cover for you both. Do you need anything? Jared, Kim, & Paul are staying here, but everyone else is going home. If you need us or anything changes, Jared or Paul can get us at a moment's notice."

"Thank you, Billy. I just don't want Charlie to worry, but I need to be here right now."

He nodded and silently wheeled himself from the room and closed the door softly. Sam chose that moment to moan and writhe in pain and I returned my full attention to him, stroking his sweat-dampened hair and whispering softly to him.

"Hold on, Sam. Stay strong just a little longer. You can get through this. I'm here, Sam, I'm here," I murmured as he whimpered and twitched in pain.

Sometime very late, I finally succumbed to fatigue and I slept, curled protectively around his body, never letting him forget I was there.

**Sam POV**

It seemed like days had passed as the pain consumed me. Sometimes, I could feel Bella's touch and occasionally I heard her sweet voice whispering to me. I wanted so badly to answer her, to reassure her that I would be okay, but I couldn't. I wasn't okay and I couldn't lie to her.

My body was wracked with pain and I could feel the venom coursing through me. I prayed and begged to live. It had never mattered that much to me before, living or dying, but now I had someone to live for. I needed to get back to her. Bella was everything good in my fucked up existence.

Eventually, I started to feel the burn receding and I could hear Bella and feel her soft skin again. After what seemed like a lifetime, I tried to open my eyes. I struggled to open my stubborn lids for what seemed hours before finally succeeding. I gazed upon my angel.

Bella had wrapped her tiny frame around my body and, even in her sleep, had refused to let go of my hand. There was moonlight streaming in through the part in the curtains and it shone softly in her hair. Her cheeks were damp with tears and there was an angry looking bruise on her cheekbone, but she was still the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

Testing my strength, I tried to squeeze her hand and managed only a small twitch of my fingers. I needed to hear her voice.

"Bella…" I croaked. My throat was parched, whether from the venom or lack of water, I'm not sure.

Exhausted from my efforts, my eyes slid closed without my permission. She must have heard me though, because a few moments later, I heard her beautiful voice.

"Sam? Sam, can you hear me?"

I wanted to answer her, God, did I want to. I wanted to tell her that everything was okay, but I couldn't. My body was too exhausted and sore to listen to my brain anymore.

Then, I heard a sound I never wanted to hear again. Bella was crying. I could hear her ragged breathing and smell her salty tears. Somehow, her suffering on my behalf broke through my exhausted paralysis and I squeezed her fingers with all the strength I had. I knew it was a weak attempt, but I had to do whatever I could.

She gasped and squeezed back. I peeled my eyes open and whispered her name, trying to lick my dry lips. My throat and mouth were so dry!

The next thing I knew, she had pressed her soft lips to mine; chapped as they might be.

"Sam, thank God!" she whispered softly against them before pulling back.

The next moment, Jared, Paul, & Kim burst through the door and I was enveloped in my packmates and Kim. They were all laughing and I noticed that Kim was wiping tears and hugging Bella like crazy.

Jared leaned close to my ear and whispered, "I had to tell her, Sam. Kim will talk to her. I think it'll be fine."

After a few more minutes, Sue arrived and shooed everyone from the room, even sending Bella to take a shower and eat something. She checked over my mostly healed wounds and changed the bandage on the bite. It was the only one that hadn't healed yet, but it was starting to scab over, so Sue thought it would be okay in a few more days. The venom in my system had slowed down my ability to heal, so everything would take a little time, but she seemed happy with my progress. As she turned to leave, she looked back at me, a twinkle in her eye.

"She stayed with you the whole time, Sam. She's barely eaten or slept. She loves you, Sam, though she's not quite ready to admit that yet. Take care of her."

Even as exhausted as I was, I smiled weakly at her. My girl wanted me, too. Jared saw it and so did Sue. Maybe shit was going to work out. Sue brushed her hand across my forehead, telling me to rest before slipping out of the room again.

I closed my eyes and must have dozed for a minute, but I smelled her when she entered the room; all Ivory soap from my bathroom and that light floral scent that was just hers alone. It smelled peaceful; like home. I felt safe enveloped in her scent.

She crossed over to the bed and I felt her cool, soft hands smooth back my hair. The tenderness in the gesture squeezed my heart and I was so full of love for her in that moment. She must have thought I was asleep again, because I don't think she'd have said what she said next if she knew I was just resting.

"I believe I could love you, Sam Uley."

Then she leaned over and kissed my cheek softly. I must have really fallen asleep then, because the next time I woke up, there was no struggle. It was a lot easier to focus.

Bella was curled up in my old lumpy recliner, pulled right up against the bed. It was dark outside, so I guessed I'd slept all day. I was starving and so thirsty, but I forgot about all of that as I watched her sleep.

A cramp hit my side where my ribs were still healing and I gasped softly. Her eyes flew open and she was by my side in an instant.

"Sam, what's wrong? What can I do?" she asked, smoothing my twisted brow as the cramp finally began to loosen.

I licked my chapped lips, but it didn't help much. Noticing my problem, she picked up the glass of water on the table and helped me drink a few swallows. I licked my lips again and this time I was able to speak to her in a hoarse whisper.

"Bella, are you okay?" I rasped out, concerned about how she was handling everything.

She laughed softly, a husky sexy sound.

"Sam, you've been in a coma for two days after a vampire bite that might have killed a lesser wolf and you want to know how I am?"

I tried for a sheepish grin and she returned it.

"I'm fine, Sam. Thanks to you. Jared told me some things about the Pack and he said you imprinted on me. Is that true, Sam?"

I nodded, not able to form any other words at the moment and already feeling tired again.

"We've got a lot to talk about when you're feeling better, but you're tired again, so rest, Sam. I'm not going anywhere," she replied softly.

"Lay with me?" I whispered shamelessly, needing to be close to her.

She nodded in agreement, something fearful flashing in her eyes. Oh shit…fear. She was afraid? A blurry memory tickled at the edge of my consciousness.

"Bella, what happened to your cheek?" I rasped, putting as much strength as I could into the question.

"It's fine, Sam. Please, don't worry about it."

As she settled into the bed next to me, my heart sank. I remembered now. I'd hit her, bruised her beautiful face.

"Sam," her voice was soft but irritated now, "what did I just say? You were not in your right mind and you were flailing around in pain. You didn't mean to hit me. It's fine, just a bruise, so stop it."

She settled closer into my chest, yawning broadly. Well, she might be okay about it, but I wasn't. It would be the first and last time I'd ever lay a hand on her that way. Wearily, I nodded against her head as sleep threatened to pull me under again.

With her beside me, I was blissfully secure for the first time in months. Even as badly as the rest of my body ached, with Bella snuggled against me, the desperate pulling in my chest disappeared.

I fought to stay awake, wanting to enjoy this feeling for a little bit longer, curling my fingers lightly through her hair, just playing with a soft waving piece that spilled over her shoulder within my reach. She hummed softly and I knew she was exhausted, too.

She rested her hand atop mine where it lay curled around her slim hips and linked our fingers together, seemingly perfectly comfortable in my arms and bed. I was too tired to really puzzle it out much, so I just chalked it up to a shared traumatic event and the imprint bond that was growing stronger between us and allowed myself to relax fully.

I feel asleep counting the steady beats of her heart as my own slowed to match its rhythm.

* * *

**AN: So this is UBER-LONG for me because I ended up combining a couple chapters that I had pre-written. It needed to be done, but it also means that I don't have as much pre-written now. Oh well, my loss is your gain! I hope you continue to like this. Thanks for all the kind words and reviews!**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing and I'm poor, so don't sue me. This is a bit short, but bear with me…it's a little bit of fluffy filler before a heavier chapter. Mwah!**

I woke up warm and comfortable, feeling safe and content. It wasn't the norm for me to wake up warm, but I had to say I really was enjoying it at the moment. With a little sigh, I snuggled deeper into the cocoon I found myself in.

"Mmm, good morning, sweetheart," he murmured from somewhere near my shoulder.

"Yes, it is," I replied and twisted to lay a soft kiss on his chin.

It was strange, actually, how comfortable I was with Sam. I assumed it was part of the imprinting, but, for once, I wasn't shy or nervous. We had been through a lot in the last few weeks and it just felt right to be here together like this. I had almost lost him before I even knew what I would be losing and I didn't want to take our time together for granted at all. We weren't promised even one more minute with each other and that knowledge made each and every moment precious.

I had traded immortality for a mortal life with Sam, a life where I could go to school, open a catering business, marry, and someday have children. Sam had given me a second chance at life and love and for that I would always be grateful to him.

"What are you thinking about, Bella?" he asked, rising up on an elbow to look down at me.

"Bella? You're going to be late for school…come on and get up!" Charlie hollered, banging on my door as he headed downstairs for work.

I jumped a foot and was thankful that my dad hadn't seen fit to throw open the bedroom door. He knew I was seeing Sam now, and didn't seem bothered by it; though he certainly didn't know he was sharing my bed on his patrol nights. With Victoria still out there somewhere those were more frequent than usual.

Saved from responding by Charlie's intrusion, I glared up at Sam's amused face.

"Didn't you hear him coming? You're a wolf for goodness sake!"

"Well, Sweetheart, I was too busy trying to figure out what was going through that beautiful head of yours to pay attention. I guess we got lucky."

I huffed and turned to tug on jeans and a sweater from my closet. As I reached into the small jewelry box on my dresser, I was enveloped from behind by two hot, strong arms.

"Wait, Bella. I have something for you," he murmured in my ear, causing me to shiver deliciously as his breath tickled my neck.

I turned in his arms and he held a gorgeous tooled leather cuff bracelet. It depicted a howling wolf and was surrounded by abstract swirls and rubs, giving it a slightly worn appearance. It was beautiful and it didn't escape my notice that the artist had signed the work in the corner of the picture, SU. Sam had made this for me and my eyes filled with tears.

I held out my wrist and he slipped it into place, covering my bite scar perfectly, before he pulled me to his chest in a tender embrace. I tilted my head up and he caught my lips with his, quickly deepening it until we were both breathless and needing more, but life was calling, so we reluctantly pulled back from each other. The need to be together physically was almost overwhelming, but somehow we had abstained. The timing hadn't been right with him only just now fully recovered and my looming danger, but it was quickly becoming something we were simply going to have to make time for. We needed to make the time and seal our bond. We wanted to.

It didn't escape my notice that Sam had to adjust himself before he took my hand to go downstairs with me. Charlie had left a few minutes after his wake-up call, so the house was quiet as we began to cook breakfast.

A dozen eggs, half a loaf of bread, and a pound of bacon later, Sam and I stood to quickly wash the dishes before he would head to La Push and I would get in the truck bound for school. It was the last day of class before Christmas break.

"Oh, Sam…I almost forgot! Could Kim and I hang out at your house after school today? I figured we could cook you guys some supper and maybe watch a movie before you leave to patrol tonight. I already told Charlie I was spending the night with Kim, so I thought she and I could do the girl bonding thing at your house and save all of us from playing musical houses later tonight."

"Sure, baby, that's fine. Umm, you probably need to go to the store though," he grinned sheepishly.

I shook my head and kissed him gently as I closed the door behind us and stepped into my truck. Sam was definitely the quintessential bachelor. I swear he'd exist on cereal if Kim and I didn't cook for the growing pack as often as possible.

Over the last few weeks, the pack had grown in number. It was a good thing, with Victoria and several other unknown vampires loose in the vicinity. Embry, Quil, and Jake had all phased within a few days of the epic fight that had almost killed Sam. Currently, we were expecting Seth to phase within a few more weeks. He'd been showing some telltale signs and his mom, Sue, was worried. When Harry died a week ago, Seth had undergone an extreme attitude change. Always a sweet, quiet guy, overnight he became aggressive and rude. Most of the folks on the Rez chalked it up to grief, but Sue knew better when the shaking spells and fevers started. Luckily, Jake was close to the Clearwater family, so it made sense for him to take Seth under his wing following Harry's death.

I knew it hurt Sam that Seth was going to phase. He was young at just 15, but the bloodline was strong and the vampire threat was imminent.

I wandered through school on autopilot all day, just ready for it to be over. We had a month for our break and I couldn't wait to spend all that time with Sam, Kim, Jake, and the rest of the Pack. Jake had adapted well to the wolf life, but had declined to take up the Alpha position from Sam. Sam had argued with him over it, but ultimately let it be. When Jacob was ready to lead the Pack, Sam would step aside, but until then, he would continue to be Alpha.

The only real hierarchy change had been between Sam as Alpha and Jared as his Beta. With Jake now phasing and refusing the Alpha role, Jared had stepped aside as the second in command and insisted that Jake take it. Jake had argued against it, feeling that Jared's experience meant more than the bloodline, but Jared had insisted that it was the only way Jake could effectively prep for taking over as Alpha someday.

I knew it had been hard on Sam to let Jared step aside; they were even more like brothers than the rest because of having been together on their own for a year and a half before Paul even phased. Sam, Jared, and Paul were deferred to in most pack matters because of their experience and the younger guys really looked up to them. Even with Jake taking over as Sam's Beta, Jared was still sought out for his opinion.

Kim had confided to me that Jared was actually happy about the change, as he hoped to have a little more time to go to classes at the community college in Port Angeles. He really wanted to open a garage in La Push and hoped that he'd be able to graduate from the mechanics program in the next couple of semesters. He had asked Kim to marry him two weeks after Victoria reappeared and she had accepted. They loved the Pack and had no intention of backing out of their commitments, but they were ready to start a life of their own, too.

Lately, I had been thinking a lot about my future. I knew that I would stay here with Sam, but I wanted to have some kind of career, too. I had been thinking about opening a catering business and bakery. Kim was a whiz with baked goods and had taken all the cake decorating courses the community college had to offer. In fact, if you wanted a really special cake in La Push, it was Kim that most folks went to. I, on the other hand, excelled at most other types of cooking and I loved doing it.

I planned on talking to Kim about it tonight. I had already spoken to Renee, Phil, and Charlie and sworn them to secrecy. They were going to "invest" in the business as soon as I was ready to start it up, so I planned on getting my culinary degree and taking some accounting classes and in about a year, I'd be ready. I hadn't said anything to Sam yet. Once I knew if Kim was on board, then we'd tell Sam and Jared at the same time. No secrets in the Pack, after all.

Finally the final bell rang and I, along with everyone else at Forks High, bolted for the doors. I cranked my ancient truck and headed towards La Push. I glanced at the clock on the ancient dash and saw that it was only 2:45, so I'd be there by 3. Kim didn't get off work at the diner until 4pm, but that was fine since I had to stop at the grocery store on my way. Sam & Jared would be back from their classes in Port Angeles by 6pm. That left plenty of time to get started on a few lasagnas, garlic knots, salad, and Kim's famous frosted brownies for dessert.

I was mentally compiling a list of ingredients in my head, when a flash of motion in the woods caught my eye. I turned quickly, but saw nothing. It was probably a deer or something, so I shrugged it off and continued on. Continuing with my mental listing, I pondered yet again what to get Sam for Christmas. It was our first Christmas together and I wanted it to be a good one. Realistically, I knew anything I got him would make him happy. It was something I both loved and hated about the imprinting. I wanted him to really like what I gave to him and not just like it because of wolfy mojo. Sam was so busy with all his responsibilities that it left little time for hobbies. He'd much rather spend whatever free time he had with me and I agreed, so that made it difficult to figure out anything material he'd enjoy. One of the few things he enjoyed was getting inked in Port Angeles. All the guys did. I wasn't sure how to translate that to a gift, but it was all I had so far. About the time I came to that conclusion, I found out what that blur in the woods had been.

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**You can also read this story on trickyraven . ning . com. There will eventually be bona fide M rated stuff in here, so if FFnet pulls me, that's the only place to find it, so just a reminder. It's a great community of everything Wolf Pack. Sign up and feel free to say I referred you! There's some great fanfic there and groups, chat, banner makers, betas...it's the whole package. Check it out. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing and I'm poor, so don't sue me. Thanks to LifelessLyndsey for "bistre"…we had an amusing discussion on synonyms for brown. Check Tricky Raven dot ning dot com for a picture of the shade. (If you care about such things.) I am obviously way too involved in my own fantasy world and do. *laughs* Anyway, enjoy and thank you for all the wonderful support!**

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**BPOV**

There on the edge of the woods, standing in front of my truck and effectively blocking my way, was one of the biggest vampires I had ever seen. He rivaled Emmett in size and with his blood red eyes; I knew he rivaled him in strength, too. He was definitely a human-drinker and possibly a newborn. I threw the truck into reverse. I made it only a few feet before the way was blocked by another familiar vampire. With his dreadlocked hair and olive complexion, I knew without a doubt that it was Laurent. There was no escape evident, but they wouldn't get me without a fight!

I threw open my door and took off into the tree line. It was a futile attempt and I knew it, but there was the slightest chance that one of the guys would be patrolling nearby. It was the only hope I had!

I made it about a half-mile in before they decided to stop playing with me. The big one grabbed me roughly from behind and I couldn't help but cry out when I felt my shoulder pop out of joint. The pain was blinding and I had to actively resist the urge to vomit and pass out. To lose consciousness now would mean certain death. If I could hold it together a little longer, maybe help would find me.

"Laurent, it seems I may have broken her. Stupid human! Can't even take a little hug?"

The big asshole laughed and threw me to the forest floor. The resulting jolt to my shoulder had me screaming in pain all over again.

"Ah Bella, I am so very sorry for the brutish ways of my partner, Andre. He is somewhat…uncouth," Laurent said, the smooth inflections in his voice familiar and terrifying.

"I thought you had gone to the Denali's. Why are you here, Laurent? I just want to be left alone!"

"Ah, but Cherie, Victoria does not agree. She, shall we say, persuaded me to take care of an errand for her. Don't worry, sweet Bella, I will be much kinder in your demise than she had planned."

"Fuck you, Laurent!" I spat.

Just as he stepped towards me, presumably to finish his task, I heard a terrifying duo of growls. I knew that they were friends, but the hair still stood up on my arms.

Laurent shifted his eyes from me and spun around to face the furry attackers. A huge russet brown wolf and a silver wolf stood shoulder to shoulder behind the now visibly nervous Andre, whose beady red eyes were wide with terror. Jacob and Paul had found me!

"I'd run if I were you, Laurent, Andre. My friends there don't really like leeches all that much and they really don't like leeches that threaten their human friends on their land!"

I scuttled back and out of the way as best I could with my hip throbbing from its impact with the hard ground and my shoulder refusing to cooperate.

Laurent twitched as if to run and another huge dark grey wolf with black markings, Embry, blocked his exit. The wolves had surrounded the two vampires and were snarling menacingly. Jacob made a subtle move forward and the fight was on. Embry was on Laurent before I could blink and Laurent didn't stand a chance. Paul and Jacob did the same with Andre and I squeezed my eyes shut as the sickening screech of vampire flesh being forcibly shredded echoed in the woods.

I screamed as a hand dropped onto my uninjured shoulder and struck out blindly against my attacker.

"Bella! Bella! Honey, stop. It's OK, I've got you. Honey, it's Embry. Shhh…"

Gradually, his well known voice and warmth cut through my panic and I stopped fighting him. He pulled me to his warm chest, being careful of my injured shoulder, and scooped me up in his arms. Even as gentle as Embry was being, he had jarred my bruised hip and I cried out in pain.

"Sorry, honey, sorry. Let's get you back to Sam's."

The next thing I knew, I was being laid gently on the seat of my truck and Embry was sliding behind the wheel.

"Where're Jake and Paul?" I asked, frantic to know what had happened.

"They're cleaning up the mess and will meet us back at Sam's in a few minutes. It's okay, Bella. We got those damn leeches! Bella, let me see your phone. I need to let Sam and Jared know what happened."

I nodded numbly and fished it out of my bag. He dialed quickly and huffed impatiently as it rang.

"Sam, I've got Bella with me. There was an incident on her way to La Push today. No, she's fine. Me, Jake, and Paul got there in time. Right, here she is."

He mutely handed me the phone.

"Bella? Bella, are you alright? God, baby, I'm so sorry I wasn't there."

"Sam, I'm fine. Calm down. I've got a bruised hip and I think my shoulder's dislocated, but I'm fine," I paused as his growl swelled over the phone.

"Sam, really, I'm okay. Embry's driving me to your place now, so I'll see you soon."

"Bella, we're on our way. I..I love you, baby," he replied, his voice a husky whisper as he struggled to hold back tears.

"Oh Sam, I love you, too."

I snapped the phone shut and leaned my head against the cool glass.

"Oh, shit! Embry, I was headed to the grocery store before they got me. There's no food at the house and everyone is going to meet there!"

Embry looked over at me with an incredulous grin.

"Really? You actually think Sam is going to let you lift one finger tonight? We'll order pizza and one of us can make a soda and beer run."

I laughed softly. Embry was right. I was getting ready to feel the full brunt of my imprint's protectiveness. I mentally shrugged. If it made Sam feel better, I would gracefully let him take care of me.

We pulled into the driveway a few moments later and I noticed that Sue's old Ford was already there sitting next to Kim's car. We were certainly keeping her busy patching us up!

I leaned heavily on Embry as we made our way up the steps and through the front door. Sue was sitting on the sofa waiting for us and hopped up as soon as we made it through the door.

I hissed when her probing hands encountered my shoulder. She glanced up at me apologetically but probed more thoroughly for a moment before moving on to my hip. This time, I only grimaced and she just lifted the hem of my shirt and clucked at the bruise already forming there.

"Bella, I'm just going to treat these cuts and scrapes first, okay? I'll need help with your shoulder." She glanced down uncomfortably as she alluded to the pain yet to come.

I shuddered, but sat gingerly on the edge of the sofa while she cleaned my abraded palms before slathering them with antibiotic ointment and lightly bandaging them. Finished, she handed me two pain killers, which I quickly swallowed.

Just as she finished, Sam burst through the front door with Jared on his heels. Kim hastily released my hand and leapt into Jared's arms. It was scary to all of us how vulnerable we were and if they'd attacked even an hour later, Kim and I might have been together.

Sam dropped to his knees in front of me, wrapping his arms around my middle and pressing his head to my chest. He sat shuddering for a moment, just listening to the steady rhythm of my heart. I stroked his hair with my good hand, relieved tears streaming down my cheeks. I was truly okay now. I was in my Sam's arms and he wouldn't let anything hurt me.

After several long moments, he pulled back to look in my eyes. All of his fear, pain, and love was reflected in his soulful brown eyes.

"Sue?" he called, never taking his eyes off of me, "How bad is her shoulder?"

"It's dislocated, Sam. I'll need one of you to set it."

I shifted uncomfortably. This was going to hurt. A lot.

Jared stepped forward.

"I'll do it, Sam. You hold Bella." His eyes flickered nervously to mine for a moment.

Sam nodded and shifted to let Jared get in position.

"Hang on, Bella. It's going to hurt. I'm sorry," Jared whispered as he placed his massive hands on either side of my shoulder.

Sam wrapped his arms tightly around me, pressing himself against me to keep me absolutely still. I, in turn, clutched him as tightly as I could with my one good arm. I could feel my entire body shaking in anticipation and I felt nauseous.

"Wait! Wait!"

Kim came running from the kitchen with a shot glass of amber liquid.

"Here, Bella. Just throw it back. It'll help," she said, holding the shot glass for me and helping me toss it back. She stepped back as I spluttered and coughed the bourbon down.

"Okay, Bella. We're going to go on three." Jared met Sam's eyes over my head and I braced myself.

"One…two…"

"FUCK!"I screamed. Pain, like molten lava, flowed from my shoulder and joined the nausea already twisting in my belly.

Jared backed off immediately, the moment the joint popped back in place. He was pale beneath his normally deep complexion and breathing shakily.

I was moaning and sobbing against Sam, who hadn't released me even a tiny bit. He was holding me together and I could feel his shuddering breaths as he fought his own pain, brought on by mine, and tried to ease my suffering.

Gradually, after what seemed like hours, but was probably only a few minutes, the pain began to recede to a dull throb and I could control my reactions again. As I shifted slightly in Sam's arms, he loosened his hold and leaned in to kiss me softly.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

"Notch your fault," I slurred, the combination of whiskey and pain medication finally catching up to me.

Sue came over then and slipped a sling over my head and around my arm to take the pressure off my shoulder.

**Sam POV**

She was leaning heavily against my side now, her eyes closed, just trying to hang on. I stroked her cheek lightly and she nuzzled against my fingers.

"Come on, sweetheart. Let's put you to bed."

I scooped her up in my arms and groaned along with her when her shoulder was inevitably jarred slightly. I walked with her cuddled tightly to my body to minimize additional jarring.

She had finally succumbed to her pain and the medication Sue had given her. I laid her on my bed and tugged off her shoes and socks. I looked around for a moment and realized her bag hadn't made it inside. I crossed over to my dresser and grabbed a clean t-shirt. It'd be big enough on her to fall to her knees, but that would keep her comfortable. I took it back over to the bed and pulled off her jeans, taking in a shuddering breath as I noticed her delicate black lace panties and trying to ignore the silky softness of her skin as my hands slipped over it. I shook off my arousal and slid the sling off along with her sweater. She wore only a camisole underneath and my breath caught as I lifted the hem, displaying her perfectly proportioned breasts. My hands itched to caress her, but instead I closed my eyes briefly and reminded myself of why I was undressing her and regained my control. With as much speed and gentleness as I could muster, I removed the camisole and slid my t-shirt over her head, refastening the sling around her arm. I adjusted her under the covers and kissed her forehead gently. She sighed in her sleep and began to snore lightly. I would have smiled if I hadn't be so goddamned freaked out.

I almost lost her today. It was fucking dumb luck that Jake, Paul, and Embry had been close enough to hear her scream. I shook my head, trying to clear those thoughts. She was okay; battered and exhausted, but my girl was a fighter and she was going to be fine.

I stepped into the living room and all conversation that had begun as Bella and I left ceased.

"I need to speak to Embry and Paul."

Jake nodded and stepped away from Jared and Kim, who were huddled together on the sofa. He returned a few minutes later with Embry and Paul. Jake glanced at Quil and Jared and they both immediately stood and went to stand guard over the house.

Pride surged briefly as I watched him. He'd be a good Alpha one day soon. The guys respected and obeyed him almost as well as they did me.

"Okay, now tell me what in the fuck happened and don't leave out a goddamned thing!"

That night after all was said and told, I kept the entire pack home. I tried to take the first watch on the front porch, nodding at Embry to come with me.

Jake stood and held my shoulder lightly.

"Sam, not tonight. Tonight we've got this. Go be with Bella."

I opened my mouth to argue, but closed it again as I saw their nodding heads. I was touched at the gesture from my brothers and I would accept it gracefully. The future might very well be uncertain for us all, but tomorrow was soon enough for planning.

"Thank you," I said, turning and walking back to my girl.

She hadn't moved since I had laid her in the bed earlier. Her face was peaceful and so beautiful! I was almost brought to my knees as I thought about how close I had come to losing her today. I held it together, barely, as I stripped out of my clothing and slid into the cool sheets beside her, resting against her uninjured side.

**BPOV**

I'm not sure how long I slept before Sam came to bed, but I felt his warm body beside me when he arrived. I was still groggy and half-asleep from the pain pills, but I mumbled what I hope sounded like _I love you_.

I was shocked when a great heaving sob ripped itself from his chest. He laid his head on my chest and I could feel his hot tears soaking through the t-shirt I was wearing. I curled my good arm around him and stroked his back.

"Sam, baby, it's okay. Shhh…I'm here, baby…"

I didn't know what to say to ease his pain, his fear. His massive form heaved and shook with his nearly silent sobs. Gradually, he steadied under my whispered declarations and soothing touches.

"I almost lost you today. Bella, I would die without you," he whispered, shudders wracking his frame still.

I shifted, wincing slightly, and forced him to look at me. I brought my hand up to his cheek and cupped it reverently. He was so incredibly beautiful; rugged and masculine in his features. My heart swelled at the love and agony in his eyes. I had never been loved this way before. His love made him fierce with anything that threatened me, but vulnerable when we were alone or with our closest friends and family. This was the private Sam. I didn't doubt for a moment that he wouldn't survive my death. I prayed that it wouldn't come until we were both old and gray. I had given up the chance of immortality and I would never covet that future again.

"But you didn't, Sam. I'm here and I'm fine. I love you so much, Sam Uley," I sighed softly, sleep threatening again as his warmth relaxed and reassured me.

His heartbeat stuttered for just a moment when I said that and I smiled softly against his chest. It truly amazed me how much I could affect him. In such a short time he had come to mean everything to me and it made me feel so loved to know that I affected him just as much. I never felt like I wasn't wanted or wasn't good enough for Sam.

"Baby, I love you more than I can even explain. Without you, I am nothing. Everything I am is because of you," he whispered, tilting my chin up to look into my eyes.

His features were relaxed, but I could see the truth and passion burning in his warm bistre eyes. I knew that whatever might come in the days ahead, his love would never falter, nor would mine for him.

There were important decisions to be made about Victoria and the danger that seemed to constantly follow me, but right now, everything was perfect and safe. Here in Sam's arms, danger seemed very far away.

I fell asleep listening to the calm beat of his heart, surrounded by his warmth and earthy odor and secure that he would still be my rock in the morning light.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Sorry for the lateness of the chapter - I'm down to the last pre-written chapter now, so bear with me as I work on getting the story out. Thanks for sticking with me and as always, I own nothing._  
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**SPOV**

I stepped into the room as Bella cursed softly under her breath. As I watched from the doorway, she struggled to tie her shoes with only the one hand. I moved swiftly into the room and knelt before her, taking the laces from her good hand and kissing her fingers lightly.

"Here, honey, let me do that for you."

She mumbled a disgruntled 'thanks' and huffed a little. I couldn't help but smile. She hated to be doted on but her shoulder injury forced her to accept help with even mundane activities. We were getting ready to go outside to the fire pit in my backyard. Bella had to explain more about this situation with the red-headed bloodsucker, Victoria. Even the thought of her made my hackles rise. That bitch was going to be really sorry she'd fucked with my imprint.

Finished tying, I took Bella's good hand and led her downstairs. Kim and Angie had made the food for tonight. It had really bothered Bella not to help, but I had insisted that she rest. I smiled as I saw Jake at Angie's heels, carrying bowls and platters toward the picnic tables. He'd imprinted on her about a week after he'd phased for the first time, running into her over at Bella's house. I was relieved, honestly. Angie was a good girl and would be perfect to balance out Jake's impetuous nature. They were both notoriously good natured, too. It had been a little rocky since Angie had been dating someone at the time, but she'd broken things off when she decided to accept the imprint and she and Jake were actually taking it pretty slowly. They had started out as friends and were just now starting to build a more romantic relationship. The Ancestors had made a good match.

I snagged one of the brownies as Bella and I walked by, earning myself a hand slap from Kim. I just winked and kissed her cheek. Bella was unusually quiet and I was a little worried about her. I was pretty sure all of this was bringing up bad memories. I hoped we could talk more about all of this in private tonight after the meeting.

I stopped that train of thought as the others began to drift into the yard, Quil and Embry with cases of soda, and Paul with a keg of Ranier. Everyone began to socialize as Old Quil, Billy, and Sue arrived. They were the only Elders now that Harry had passed away. Sue looked tired, like she wasn't sleeping well.

I knew how much in love she and Harry had been. My heart went out to them all. Leah had come home from school, of course, for the funeral. It was good to see her. She'd brought her fiancée, Conor, with her. He seemed a decent guy and it was obvious that he worshipped her. She was happy and for that I was immensely grateful. She had been my first love and I only wished the best for her.

As far as Seth was concerned, he'd phased a week after Harry's death. It sucked because he was just a kid. He turned 16 a week later. Last week, another boy had phased, Brady. Brady was a freshman at the Rez High School. He wouldn't be 15 for another month. It made my heart hurt. He and Seth were just too young for all of this. The only solace was that they were deliriously happy about it. They'd imprinted on each other. Boy, had that thrown Old Quil for a loop!

We'd always assumed that imprinting happened so that the tribe would have a strong future generation of wolves. I was rethinking that, though. Jared, Jake, and I had been talking about it a lot lately. We all kind of thought it was sort of a reward to the wolves. In exchange for so much work and loss of control over our futures, we got the chance to love with a certainty and a passion that most people only dreamed of. I liked that idea. I'd mentioned it to Bella and she'd said that made sense to her, too. In light of Brady and Seth's imprint, it just seemed more logical since obviously no pups would be coming from that relationship.

I cleared my throat as everyone finished eating and called the meeting to order. Sue clicked on a little recorder; she'd record the meeting for future packs. We went through a few mundane things, like a patrol schedule and when the next meeting would be, and then I motioned Bella forward. She was blushing and very nervous as she came to my side.

"As you all know, Bella was ruthlessly attacked on Friday. Luckily, she wasn't badly hurt, but the time has come for us to take some action against this red-headed vampire that feels no compunction about roaming our lands and attacking at will. Bella knows her and the reasons for her behavior, so I have asked her to explain it to all of us tonight."

I squeezed Bella's hand and resumed my seat as she cleared her throat nervously, everyone already silently waiting to hear.

"Um, hi everyone. I guess I should start at the beginning so all of this will make more sense. Bear with me; this is something I really don't like to talk about, but you all need to know what you're up against." She shifted a little and a faraway look settled on her face, remembering.

"It all started innocently enough. I had been seeing Edward Cullen for several months and his family was playing baseball the night I met Victoria." She paused as there were some soft growls and murmurs. "It was a stormy night, since that's the only time they could play. We were having fun. Just as we were finishing the game, three nomadic vampires, human drinkers, stepped out of the woods. It was Laurent, one of the ones that attacked me and was killed, Victoria, and her mate, James. James was a tracker and it seems he became interested in me after seeing Edward and his family protect me.

"I ran, with Alice and Jasper, to Phoenix, We were afraid James would attack Charlie to get to me, so we had to lead him away. Anyway, he ended up following us to Phoenix and tricked me into thinking he had my mother, Renee. I gave Jasper and Alice the slip and went to meet him, intending to trade myself for Renee.

"Of course, once I got there, I realized he had tricked me. He beat me almost to death before the Cullens could get there. Just as Edward arrived, James bit me." She paused and removed the leather cuff bracelet I made for her, displaying the scar for our heightened senses.

She waited until all the growls and obscenities died down. "I didn't turn because Edward sucked the venom out. Jasper, Emmett, and Alice killed James. Laurent joined another coven in Alaska and Victoria just disappeared."

She took a deep breath before continuing. "When Victoria attacked Sam and I on the beach, I learned that she was after me. She wants revenge for her mate's death; a mate for a mate. She believes that by killing me, Edward Cullen will suffer like she has. She's got help, too. Andre, the big vampire that Jake and Paul destroyed, was a newborn. She'll stop at nothing to get to me." Her shoulders slumped in defeat as she finished the story and everyone sat stunned at the implications.

I kissed her temple as she took a seat again. I spoke without standing, opting to comfort my imprint instead by wrapping my arm firmly around her.

"I think we need to be prepared for a serious battle." I looked at each earnest and outraged face. "And, I think we're going to need help. You've all seen what's going on in Seattle, the disappearances and deaths. I think we need to talk to the Cullens. Carlisle Cullen may have some advice for us."

I help up my hand, silencing the cacophony of responses. "I know this is out of the ordinary, but we do have a treaty with Carlisle and his family. They should have taken care of this mess when it happened originally, but they didn't. I think it's only fair for them to help us now." I turned to Bella; she looked utterly shell-shocked.

"Bella, honey, do you know how to contact them?" I asked gently, knowing how painful this would be for her.

She shook her head numbly. "No. They changed all the cell numbers when they left."

I let out a defeated sigh; I truly thought that recruiting their help was our best chance to keep Bella and the residents of Forks and La Push safe. I didn't want any of my wolves hurt either. Most of us had never battled a vampire. I looked up as Billy cleared his throat.

"I might have a way to contact them. Carlisle gave me the name and phone number of a lawyer, Jason Jenks. He handles the Cullens' affairs. It might be worth a shot to contact him. I assume he could get an urgent message to Carlisle or one of the family, if needed."

**JWPOV**

I looked down at my cell as it vibrated in my pocket, excusing myself quietly from the lecture hall. I was pursuing my master's degree in Forensic Anthropology. Alice and I had come to Anchorage with Rosalie and Emmett. Carlisle and Esme had gone to Ithaca with Edward. The strain of separation was beginning to wear on us all, but Edward needed some time to heal still.

I shook myself from those thoughts and took the call.

"Whitlock. Jenks, why are you calling?"

I took perverse pleasure in his shaky stuttered apology for disturbing me. I didn't often go out of my way to intimidate, but the nature of our business with Jason Jenks, Esq. made it necessary to maintain his loyalty and silence.

I listened carefully as he explained that Billy Black of the La Push Quileute tribe had contacted him that morning with a message that Carlisle should contact him immediately about a matter of great importance. I questioned Jenks about the nature of the matter, but he insisted that Chief Black had not expanded on it, simply stressing that is was an emergency.

I disconnected with a gruff 'thank you' and immediately worried that something had happened to Bella. Alice hadn't seen anything, but I also knew that she very seldom saw Bella's future anymore, a fact both depressing and troubling. I immediately dialed the Ithaca number.

"Jasper! It's good to hear from you, son." Carlisle's smooth cultivated voice answered swiftly.

I smiled despite my concern. "Carlisle, it's been too long. I'm sorry, but I am calling with disturbing news."

I relayed the information succinctly, falling into the military reporting cadence that had been so familiar to me during both my human and vampire youth. He, too, was disturbed by the request and promised that he would call me back the moment he had spoken to Ephriam's descendant. We disconnected soon after and I sent messages to Alice, Rose, and Emmett to meet me at our home as soon as possible. I had a strong feeling that we would not be remaining in Anchorage much longer.

**SPOV**

I watched as Bella mechanically cleaned up after the meeting, barely even acknowledging everyone as they left. To say I was concerned about her would be an understatement. I wasn't quite ready to push her, but this couldn't go on.

She brushed past me and into the house as I helped Sue and Quil get Old Quil into Sue's car. He was getting frailer and had a much harder time caring for himself since his wife, Louise, passed last year. Quil checked on him as often as school and pack duties allowed; Sue did, too. I made a mental note to see if Paul would have time to look in on him, too. Paul didn't have any other family commitments, so it might be good for both of them.

I returned to the house after doing a final sweep of the yard. There were no strange scents and everything had been cleaned up, so I was free to tend to my distressed mate. Bella was not in the kitchen or the small living room when I walked inside, so I followed her scent to the bathroom. Knocking lightly, I waited for her to acknowledge me.

"Come in, Sam." She called out tremulously, sounding as if she had been crying.

I opened the door and shed my clothes, pulling back the shower curtain and curling her body to my chest as she sobbed openly now. I spent the next several minutes comforting her, stroking her back and placing soft chaste kisses over her face, neck, and shoulders. Gradually, she began to calm down and I helped her climb out of the shower, wrapping a fluffy towel around her and simply hugging her to me again.

"Do you want to talk about it, sweetheart?" I murmured.

She shook her head negatively and whimpered. "Just hold me for a little while, Sammy. I just want to be held."

Nodding, I kept one arm firmly around her and walked her into my bedroom. Tonight I wouldn't push her. I could give her tonight to be upset and just take care of her. Tomorrow would be soon enough to talk about things. I slowly dried her off with the towel before tossing it aside, kissing her lightly before dressing her in one of my tee shirts, something about seeing her in my clothes comforting to her and to me. Once she was dressed, I grabbed her brush from the top of the dresser and ran it through her damp hair before pulling it into a braid for her. I could feel the tension seeping out of her shoulders as the gentle tugging of the brush and my fingers through her hair relaxed her.

When I was finished, I led her over to my bed and settled us both in it beneath the sheets, pushing the comforter to the floor.

"Everything is going to be okay, Baby Girl. I promise. Even if the Cullens do come back here to help with Victoria, it won't change anything between us."

She nodded wearily, snuggling into my side a bit more. I didn't say anything further, opting instead to just let her rest. I rubbed her back in slow comforting circles until her breathing deepened and became slow and steady.

"Sleep well, Bella. I'll protect you even in your dreams."

**Carlisle POV**

"Edward? Son, you must meet us in Forks. There's been a development and the time has come for you to return to the family."

I sighed, wishing fervently that my first companion, and in many ways my son, could simply accept that there were times to do as he was told and times to argue. Sharpening my tone, I changed my tactics, becoming the leader of our coven rather than his friend or father-figure.

"Edward, you will be in Forks as expected or you will answer for it to me. We will expect you by the end of the week."


	7. Chapter 7

**_Sorry it's taken quite awhile to post the next chapter. I could give you all my perfectly legitimate excuses or I could just give you the chapter. I'm not gonna lie...it's pretty much just a giant ball of porn, but it got me past my block, so I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for hanging in there! _**

**_As always, thanks to my P.I.C. SparklingFae...my sounding board, my pre-reader, my confidant, my cheering section.  
_**

**_My insignificant little story is getting ready to live up to it's M rating, so should I get drop-kicked off of FFN, you can find me (this story and many others by a wide variety of very talented authors) on a lovely site that you can join (tell them I sent you): _**_trickyraven dot ning dot com_**_  
_**

**___Love, NCChris_**

* * *

SPOV

I woke slowly, not sure if I was awake or still dreaming. It was dark outside, either very late or very early, depending on your perspective. Bella was sprawled on top of me, kissing every inch of my chest, her lips leaving a burning trail of need in their wake as my brain caught up to my body.

"Bella," I hissed as she took my nipple between her teeth and bit down gently, "Fuck, Baby Girl; that feels amazing!"

She hummed and continued to explore my body. For the most part I laid still and let her do what she liked to me, but I couldn't resist sliding my hands beneath the worn cotton of the t-shirt she wore, caressing her soft bare skin.

As I passed my palms over the back of her thighs, up over the round globes of her ass, and traced the gentle curve of her spine, a soft growl rumbled in my chest and her sweet clean arousal thickened and perfumed the air.

I was hard and throbbing against her stomach as she began to grind her hips into mine, wresting a moan of pleasure from both of us. Reaching just beneath her ass, I stroked my fingers over her slick folds. She jerked and whined, so I continued to stroke her lightly.

"Feel good, Baby Girl?" I murmured huskily, my breath hot against her neck, "Tell me what you want, Bella."

She whimpered again; her breath came in harsh little puffs against my skin and she writhed wantonly against me. We had been dancing around each other for weeks now, flirting with making love. Our imprinting bond was growing uncomfortable for both of us. It needed to be consummated and we wanted to be made one. All of that ran through my head in the few seconds it took her to gather herself enough to answer me.

"Please, Sam…I need you to make love with me. I need to be yours completely."

It was all the confirmation I needed. I smoothly flipped us so that our positions were reversed. It was my turn to explore her sweet body. I wanted to show her how good it could be. She was a virgin, a fact not lost on me as I slowly lifted the t-shirt off of her, exposing her creamy pale skin.

"You're beautiful, Bella."

I couldn't help my slight smile as my compliment brought a soft rosy glow to her cheeks. I traced it with my fingertip as the color spread down her delicate throat, brought my lips to her collarbone as it took on the pink hue, dragged my tongue down between her heaving breasts as her chest gained a gentle blush, and finally closed my mouth over her dusky areola, growling softly as she whimpered and curled her fingers tightly into my hair.

The tangy sweet scent of Bella's arousal increased again in the still air of my bedroom as I sucked and nibbled at her nipple, teasing pleasure from her as I cupped the underside of her other breast in my calloused palm, kneading it gently.

"Please, Sam! Oh God…I need you!" She whimpered and arched her body into mine, rubbing against me and trying to soothe the ache between her legs.

Not one to deny my sweet mate anything she needed, I slid my hand between her thighs, groaning as her soft wet heat soaked into my palm as I cupped her pussy. She was bare apart from a well-manicured strip of soft curls. I gently stroked my fingers through them as I got her used to the sensation of my fingers touching her so intimately. I wanted to plunge them inside her, to be rough and make her scream as she came undone for me, but I also wanted to be tender and gentle with her this first time, so I let her body tell me what to do.

When she began to rock against my palm, whimpering and moaning my name softly, I slid my middle finger between her slick folds, swirling the pad over her hardened clit with each pass. When she arched into me for more, I growled against her breast, where I was still suckling.

Sliding my finger into her pussy that first time was almost overwhelmingly good, she was tight and paradoxically hot. I thanked Taha Aki again for giving her to me as I slowly worked my mate's tight trembling body.

She was moaning softly and biting down on her plump bottom lip now. She looked more beautiful than I could ever remember. Pressing a final kiss to her breast, I slowly kissed my way down her body. I paused only once, at her navel, to swirl my tongue in and around the sensitive spot, nipping lightly when she cried out and bucked her hips. My girl was so responsive to my touch. I wanted to make her come.

Finally, I arrived at my destination, panting a bit with my own need as I inhaled deeply, her scent so much more concentrated as I lay level with her glistening pussy lips.

Carefully, I eased a second finger in beside the first, glancing up to see if she was still okay. Judging from the moan of pleasure and shudder that ran through her as I resumed stroking in and out, I knew she was close to finding her release. I leaned in and slowly licked her, ending up at her bundle of nerves. She jerked and swore.

"Fuck, Sam! Please!"

Smiling a little at her response, I swirled my tongue around her clit again, rocking my fingers inside her, feeling her inner walls begin to tense. She was getting ready to come. Calling on every bit of experience I had, both personal and vicarious through the Pack mind, I curled my fingers slightly within her and continued my steady strokes, alternately sucking her clit and swirling my tongue around it.

With a keening wail, Bella came hard. Her body clamped down on my fingers and her slick juices covered my fingers and palm. I gentled my movements, but continued until I felt her body begin to relax, finally slipping my fingers from her body and licking her clean. She moaned as I licked her sensitive flesh.

"Shhh, Baby Girl. I've got you…you're okay."

I crawled up beside her, pulling her still trembling body against mine. She trembled and shook a bit with strong aftershocks of pleasure, something of which I was immensely proud. I wanted my girl to be overwhelmed with pleasure when we were together. I gently brushed her hair back from her face as she calmed; she smiled when I did, her eyes still closed.

"Make love to me, Sam. I want to be fully yours."

I stroked her back gently, fingertips cataloguing each bump along her spine, trying to memorize this moment. I never wanted to forget it. I wanted to live in it forever, the perfection of it amidst all the shit that I knew was coming. Even though our world would never be perfect, our love for each other would be.

I gently shifted us again and slowly pressed my engorged length inside her, wincing as I pressed through her barrier, but not stopping until I was fully seated. She tensed in discomfort, and I could feel it through our bond as I held myself perfectly still on unsteady arms.

"I'm sorry, Baby. I won't move until you tell me it's okay."

I managed to shift one hand to her cheek, brushing a stray tear away as it tracked its way down, moved when she turned to kiss my thumb.

"I'm okay, Sammy. Just go slow."

As if to prove her words, she hesitantly lifted her hips and wrapped one leg around my waist, both of us moaning at the pleasurable friction. I wished I could kiss her while in this position, but I was too tall. I settled for locking my eyes with hers instead as I began to rock into her.

"I love you, Bella."

She smiled softly and brought her other leg up around my waist, caressing my chest lightly.

"I love you, too, Sam…so much, Baby."

We both fell silent after that, no more words needed between us as our bodies moved together. She was perfectly matched to my body and I was perfectly matched to hers. There was intuitiveness to our lovemaking that most couples work for months to achieve, but Bella and I moved with fluidity and instinctiveness, already knowing what the other needed.

As we grew closer to our inevitable climaxes, my movements became more forceful, stronger. Bella began to meet me thrust for thrust, gripping my biceps for leverage. My balls ached with the need to let go and fill my mate with my seed, but I'd be damned if I would do so without making sure she was completely satisfied first.

As I took her harder, her moans became more pronounced and her hips bucked into mine. When her already tight pussy began to twitch around my thick shaft, I growled at her. I was in control of my wolf, but he was definitely present. We were claiming our mate for the first time; he would not be denied some access.

"Come for me, Bella. Let go, Little Girl."

A few hard thrusts later, she tensed and came with a breathless moan, her whole body arching into me before going limp in a series of soft spasms of pleasure. God, she was fucking gorgeous when she came.

I followed her over the edge with a groan of pleasure, her orgasm triggering my own as her muscular walls squeezed my shaft brutally. I pulled her close as I shuddered; I spilled my hot seed deep inside her, only relaxing once I finally emptied myself inside her willing body.

Once again, we lay curled together as our hearts slowed and resumed their normal paces. Our scents were heavy in the air and I could smell my scent all over her and hers on me. It blanketed my wolf in peace. I could feel that the imprint was settled now. There was a calmness, a centeredness, where before there had been restlessness.

Bella's breathing had already slowed and deepened again. She was curled into my chest asleep, her lips pressed to my chest. My poor sweet mate had been through so much over the last few weeks. The coming ones would likely be no better, but the Pack would be here for her and I would stand by her through anything.

Stroking her hair, I pulled the sheet back up over us and made a promise, to myself and to her. No matter what happened when the Cullens returned, I would stand by her. No matter what secrets she was hiding about why they left the way they did, I wouldn't let it change anything between us and, most of all, no matter how much Edward Cullen might want her back, Bella was with me of her own free will. Bella was no one's property. He'd do well to remember it, too.

Content with my little mate in my arms and the fresh glow of our lovemaking calming both man and wolf, I closed my eyes and let sleep claim me again.


End file.
